Animal-trap



No. 622,700. Pam-red Apr. 18:99. Y

.5. H. MMmNmss-n.

ANIMAL TRAP.

(Application led Oct. .7, 1897. Renewed Aug. 27, 1898.)

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, E E www L pivotal pin, the rearward extension of one jaw Unirse StainsJAMES Il. MACKINTOSH, OIF ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,700, dated April11, 1899. Applioation'lled Ootober'7, 1897. Renewed August 27, 1898.Serial No. 689,704. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, J AMES H. MAeKINTosH, residing at Asbury Park, in thecounty of Monmouth and State New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulAnimal-Trap, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an animaltrap, and has for its objectto provide a device of this class which shall be simple, cheap, anddurable and while constructed of few inexpensive parts will be moreeffective in operation than many complicated and costly devices now incommon use.

A further object of myinvention is to provide an animal-trap soconstructed that in approaching it the animal is not liable to bedeterred or frightened away by having to enter a hole or tread upon-somepart of the trap.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this class inwhich the animal is permitted to approach the bait Without leaving` thefloor or carpet of the room in which the trap is set.

\Vith these and other objects in View my invention consists in ananimal-trap comprising two sheet-metal jaws having teeth formed of thematerial thereof, [inwardlyprojectinglugs through which the pivotal pinpasses, and rearward extensions beyond the bein-g in line therewith andthe other at an obtuse angle thereto, a spring coiled around the pivotalpin and bearing outwardly between the rear extensions of the jaws, and aset and trigger mechanism between the extensions and jaws.

My invention further consists in the improved construction, arrangement,and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterwardspecifically pointed out in the claim.

l In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionmost nearly appertains to make and use the saine, l will now proceed todescribe its construction and operation, having reference to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which--LFigure l is a perspective view illustrating my improved animal-trap setand in position for practical operation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionthrough the saine. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the outside of oneof the jaws and its rearward extension. Fig. 4t is a detail perspectiveview of the inside of the other jaw and its extension. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective View of the trigger and setbar. A Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of the spring. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view ofthe pivot-pin.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in thevarious iigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A and B are the two jaws of myimproved trap for catchingrats and other animals, each of said Y jawsbeing provided with inwardly-bent edge lugs C, which receive thepivot-pin D, by which the two jaws are hinged or pivoted together. Thejaw A is provided with an ex- .tension E to the rear of the pivot-pin,bent-at an obtuse angle to the jaw itself, while the jaw B is providedwitha similar extension E beyond the pivot-pin, lying in line with thejaw itself. Each of the jaws has flanges F bentV outward at its edges,said flanges extending also along the extensions E and E of the jaws. Atthe junction of these flanges with the body of the jaws teeth G arepunched inward out of the material of the jaw itself, while at the outerend of each jaw similar teeth I-l are formed and bent inward. A wirespring I of considerable strength is coiled about the pivot-pin D, withits ends bearing outwardly on the inside of the extensions E and E ofthe jaws, its normal tendency being to bring the jaws together' byforcing the extensions outward. The extension E of the jaw A is providednear its upper edge with an opening J, and the extension E of thejaw Bis provided nearits upper edge with asmall circular opening K and anL-shaped slot L. The wire trigger M is provided with a bend N upon whichto irnpale the bait, which when the trap is set, as in Figs. l and 2, islocated in the proper position between the jaws to be easily reached bythe animal and extends backward, being bent slightly outward at O andpassed through the L-shaped slot L, from whence it extends rearwardly atP on the outside of the extension E of the jaw B and is passed throughthe opening 'K. After passing through this opening it is bent inwardlyand provided with a hooked end Q,

which when the trap is set is passed through an opening J in theextension E of the jaw A and hooks over the edge of said opening,serving to hold the jaws distended, the bend O ofv the trigger being atthis time located in the small upper portion of the L-shaped slot andresting on shoulder L of same. (See Fig. 3.) When, however, the bait isagitated byv the animal, this bend O drops out of the small portion ofthe L-shaped slot L into the main j body thereof, which loosens thewhole trigv ger-wire, so that the toe or hook Q will pass through theslot J ofthe jaw A and permit the springI to throw the jaws violentlytogether.

It will be noticed that the trap rests upon the floor or carpet and thatthe animal in approaching it is not compelled to thrust his head in ahole or walk upon any part of the trap, both of these operations havinga tendency to frighten the animal away from the trap. With my trap,however, the animal approaches the bait directly upon the surface uponwhich the trap is set and may seize the bait without being deterred byany of the dificulties named. The bait may be attached directly to thehook N or may be suspended therefrom by thin wire. It will be furthernoticed that the trap is very cheaply made. Each of the jaws, includingthe teeth and the pivotal lugs, may be stamped in a single operationfrom a piece of ordinary sheet metal, the one operation providing itwith teeth,lugs, flanges, and the necessary openings. The other parts ofthe trap are simply three pieces of ordinary Wire, one of which is thepivot, another the spring, and the third the trigger and set-bar. Thejaws having been made and the trigger and set-bar properly ben t, theparts of the trap may be assembled by unskilled labor, the whole trapbeing producible at a very low cost, while being extremely durable andeffective in operation. and not. liable to get out of order or be brokenWith ordinary use. No skill is required to set the trap, the operationbeing easily and quickly done by adjusting the bend O of the triggerinto the small portion of the slot L, as before described. The longleverage of the trigger renders the release thereof certain at the vslightest touch of the bait. Owing to the peculiar form of thetrigger-bar at its rear end and the location of the trigger-holes in the-the material around the trigger-hole, the

round hole through which the triggerrod passes serving as a hinge orpivot-point for the rear bent end of the trigger. In order to pass thetriggerfrod into this hole when assembling the parts, the hole isslitted or opened to the outer end of the extension E, as shown at R inFig. 3, and one side of this slit is bent aside. Afterthe rod hasbeeninserted through this slit into the hole the bent side is returnedto its original position to hold the rod in place. A square hole S isprovided through the extensionE of the jaw A, whereby the trigger may beseen while being set.

While I have illustrated and described the best means now known to mefor carrying out my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do notrestrict myself to the exact forms and constructions shown, but holdthat any such slight changes or variations as might suggest themselvesto the ordinary mechanic will properly fall within the limit and scopeof my invention.

Having thus fully describedv my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

Theanimal-trap herein described, consist# ,ing of the jaw A, having arear extension at an obtuse angle thereto, and the jaw B having a rearextension in line with the body of the jaw, each of said -jaws beingstamped from sheet metal and provided with teeth and pivot -lugs stampedout of the material of the jaw, the jaw A being provided with openings Jand S and the jaw B with openings K and L, the pivot-pin passing throughthe pivot-lugs, the spring coiled about the pivotpin and bearingoutwardly between the eX- tensions E and E and the trigger and set-rod Mprovided with a point N to receive the bait, a bent portion O to passthrough the opening L and engage shoulder L when set, and a toe Q topass through and engage with the edge of the opening J in setting thetrap, substantially as described.

JAMES H. MAGKINTOSI-I.

Witnesses:

S. F. MACKINTosH,

J. ALEX. MAoKINTosH.

